Croatia

Croatia at a glance

CapitalZagreb

LanguageCroatian

CurrencyKuna (HRK)

Extension56,594 sq km

Population4,284,889 (2011)

A mix of central European and Mediterranean cultures, beautiful coastline, and charming cities. If you’re a nature lover, this is the perfect place to explore amazing beaches and national parks together with your host family.

Teenagers in Croatia will enjoy spending time with you after school, and hanging out at the mall, in cafes, having picnics, and going out dancing. Don’t forget to check out some of the local street festivals and live theater shows in the springtime. Top sports: soccer, basketball and water polo.

Host Family & Community

Your host family can live anywhere from the rural area of Slavonija, to cities like Zagreb, or the coastal regions. No matter where you live, your family will expect you to behave responsibly and maturely: Help with household chores, use public transportation to get to school, and help prepare meals.

School

Most Croatian schools work in two shifts: 8 am to 2 pm and 2 pm to 8 pm. You will probably have six or seven classes per day, along with theater, choir, and sports after school.

Language

The official language is Croatian, and other languages you can hear here include Czech, Hungarian, Italian, Serbian and Slovakian. For exchange students, having a basic knowledge of English will be helpful. AFS will organize language courses in the first few months and provide you with CDs and books to learn the language on your own.

Food

Food in Croatia varies by region, from seafood to meat-based cuisine. A cheese pastry called strukli is very popular and famous inland, and bread is usually eaten with every meal. Even though Croatians tend to eat a lot of meat, they also enjoy fresh vegetables from local markets. The most important meal of the day is lunch, which you’ll eat around 2 pm – on weekends, this will be the key family time.

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Contact Us

AFS Interculture Canada

1425, Rene-Levesque Blvd. West, #1100

Montreal, Quebec H3G 1T7

www.afscanada.org

514 288 3282 – 1 800 361 7248

About AFS

AFS Intercultural Programs is an international, voluntary, non-governmental, non-profit organization that provides intercultural learning opportunities to help people develop the knowledge, skills and understanding needed to create a more just and peaceful world.